Mortar shell recovered near school in Mekhliganj

Cooch Behar: A major scare gripped Mekhliganj ahead of the Assembly elections after a mortar shell was recovered from the Ranirhat area on Friday.

The unexploded shell was found on a road beside Sarohathi New Primary School. Panic spread when children, unaware of the danger, picked it up and began playing with it, mistaking it for a toy. Alert local residents quickly intervened, retrieved the object, and moved it to a nearby maize field, averting a potential tragedy. The Ranirhat police outpost was immediately informed.

Police rushed to the spot, cordoned off the area, and alerted the Bomb Disposal Squad. Security has been tightened as authorities await experts to safely dispose of the explosive.

Sudhir Roy, a local gram panchayat member, said: “A major catastrophe has been averted as the children were playing with the mortar shell this morning.”

Locals speculate the shell may have been washed ashore from the nearby Jaldhaka River during past floods or brought in with construction materials used for road work.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident.